In a league that has made 3 year contracts a rule of thumb, the new rise in lengthy deals is astounding. It’s no guarantee that a player can keep healthy, uninjured and focused for 3 periods, let alone 3 years. So, the commitment from both a franchise and a player for extended contracts spanning longer than possible careers is a hard one to process.

From an outside perspective, the choice to sign a lengthy contract may appear as a no-brainer. Make millions of dollars, buy a house, settle down, and play some hockey. Easy right? Wrong. Long contracts and millions of dollars come with a price, one that often places a player under some unwanted scrutiny. The successful play that brought on such a solid deal may decline at any moment, and lead fans to wonder if a player is really worth it.

Young fresh skating skills and talent might be successful at the start of ones career, but 6-10 years later, will the story be the same. Only time will tell and for many NHL teams, they have close to a decade with some players to find out.

If you were a GM, would you take the 3 year route or a decade when choosing a player to line your bench?

Winter was hooked on hockey by age 6, when she first witnessed a bench clearing brawl between the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators. Growing from hockey fan to hockey player, Winter followed her passions by founding The Pink Puck. While she also loves fashion and the outdoors, hockey will always be her center ice. Email: winter@thepinkpuck.com Twitter: @Winter_Adams